Envelop-opener



2" sheets-sneer 1.

(Nvmoqel.) r W. H'. FOX.'

ENVBLOP OPENER.

" -No.- 605,093.- Patented June 7,1893.'

A ann/Er.

W/TNESSES m 474114 L uw j llivrrsnSTATEs PATENT union.

wrLLARD H. FCX, :or 'navale CONNECTICUT.

3 sPnCIFICATIoN forming 'partei Letters Paf-ene No. 605,093, dated June: v, ieee.

' Application led February Z1, 1896 .y Serial No..580,224. (No model.)

To all whom 17m/wy concern.-

Be it known that'I, WILLARD H. FOX, a citizenof the United States, residing at New Haven,- county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Envelop-Openers, of which the following isa specification', reference being had to the Aaccompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to that class of envelop-openers which perform their operation by cutting oif one end of the envelop; and it y ter and its supporting-bar.

has for its object to provide a device of this class which can be rapidly and easily operated and which will be provided with improved means for accurately predetermining the depth of the cut on the envelop and ad-` j ustingthe cutters relatively to each other to compensate for wear: To these ends my invention consists'in the envelop-opener constructed and operating as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. Y Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals designate like 'parts in the several views, Figure 1 is ap'plan'vie'w of 'a` machinfe embodying the invention? Figl2 is an end view rthere'of. Fig; 3 is a plan View of the machine-frame with'the cutters and their oper-v ating meansremov'ed, the same being drawn to a larger scale -fthan' in'Figs. 1 and 2. Fig.

4 is a cross-section takenV at line fr of Fig.v 3. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the stationary cut- Fig. 6 is an end view thereof. Fig. 7 is an end view ofthe guard. Fig. 8 is a front view of said guard. Fig. 9 is a front view of 'the movable cutter, its supporting-bar and operating-handle, and the adjustable gage for determining the depth of the cut. Fig. 10 is an end view thereof.

The frame of the machine in its preferred form consists of two end pieces 1 1, intermediate cross-pieces 2 3, forming the bottom of the frame, the Avertically-disposed cross-bar 4, erected uponfsaid-,cross-piece 3, and the two slightlyj-inclin'ed'cross-bars 5 6, erected upon saidmcross-piece`2, (see Figs. 3 and 4,)

. all being cast integrally with each other.

cross-piece 3 is provided with the centrallydisposed projecting ear 10, having a tapped hole 'to receive the screw 12," (se'e Fig. 2,) which stays the lower end of the coil-spring 13, hereinafter referred to. The cross-bar 4 has the central slot or opening 14 extending throughout the greater portion of its length to lessen the weight of the machine.

#The stationary knife 15 (see Figs. 5 and 6) isseoiiredgby'means of screws 16 or in any suitable manner, to its knife-bar 17, which iknife-bar is adapted4 to be inserted between the inclined cross-bars 5 6 of the vframe Vand is of slightly less'hthicknessV than thefspace between said bars, whereby ,itV is capable of a limited adjustment transversely of said space. Said knife-bar is provided, at each end thereof with a conical socket 1S, located at or near the bottom of its end walls, which sockets receive the conical ends of two bearing-screws 19, passing through tapped holes in the end pieces 1 of the frame, check-nuts .20, applied to said screws at the outer side of said end pieces, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) serving to hold them in any position of adjustment to compensate for wear between their conical ends and the sockets in the knife-bar. The knife-bar being thus supported, its slight movement for adjustment to compensate for wear of its knife 15 is in the are of a circle of which said screws constitute the center. To secure very accurate adjustment thereof, as well as to hold the bar securely in any position to which it may be moved, Iutilize a series of adjusting-screws 2l, passing through tapped holes in the cross-bars 6 and bearing against the opposite sides of said bar, therev being, as herein shown, three of such screws bearing against each of its sides. It will be obvious that by retracting the screws 21 in one of said cross-bars and advancing those in the other bar a very delicate and accurate'adjustment of the knife 15 canbesecu'red in either direction.' l -f The movable knife 22 =is secured by screws 23 or in any suitable manner to the under side of a shoulder 24 on a knife-bar 25, (see Figs. 9 and 10,) which bar is provided at its IOO ends with conical sockets 2U to receive the conical ends of two bearing-screws 27, passing through tapped holes in the end pieces l of the frame, said screws carrying the cheeknnts 29 at their outer ends. lrovision is thus made for a rocking movement of said knifebar about said screws as a center, and such movement in a forward direction imparted to it through a forwardly-projeeting handlepiece if), located at the center thereof, said handle-piece having secured toits upper side the hand-rest 550, having a rounded upper surface and having fastened to its under side a buffer 3l, of soft rubber er other similar material, which by being brought into contact with the table S limits the downward movement of said handle and serves as a cushion to deaden the force of the blow. Movement of said knife-bar in the opposite direction is secured by a closely-coiled spring lf3, which7 as before stated, is secured at its lower end to the cross-piece bythe screw l2 and at its upper end is suitablyconneeted to said knifebar or te a projecting lug 32 thereon (see Fig. 10) at the rear end of the handle-piece 2i), said spring resting at its upper end against the curvedouter edge ofawing 33,projeetingfrom the knife-bar below said lug. ly utilizing a closely-coiled spring, as described,which is expanded by the forward movement of the knifebar, it not only returns said bar to its normal position when released, but serves as a stop to prevent furtherrearwardmovement of the bar. The shoulder 2lon said knife-bar 25 to which the movable knife is secured is inclined relativelyv to the axis of the bar, as shown in Fig. 0, whereby the knife Q2 is caused to have a shear-cutting action against the edge of the stationary knife l5 when swung downwardly with said knife-bar, as is customary in this class of machines. A gage 3ft, having its upper edge correspondingly inclined and abutting against the under side of the knife 22, is secured to the lower side of the knife-bar by screws $35, passing through transverse slots in said gage, as shown in Fig. l0, whereby it is rendered adjustable transversely of the knifebar. The front surface of said gage is made concentric with the axis of rotation of the knife-bar, as shown in Fig. l0, so that its gaging action upon the envelop held against said surface is the same at all points in the movement of the knife-bar, its function being to determine the depth of the cut'by its position relative to the cutting edge of the knife 22.

A guard 3G is secured at its ends to the end pieces l of the frame by means of pins passing through holes in lugs 37 at the ends of said guard, as shown, or in any convenient manner, said guard being located immediately in front of the stationary knife 15 and slightly above the table S, with which it makes an acute angle, as shown in Fig. 2. The main function of said guard is to prevent the fingers of the user of the machine from coming in contact with the knives and to serve as a guide to facilitate the introduction of the envelop within the machine. l cause it to perform another function, however, by locating at a convenient point therein the semieireular bend 3S and by providing the gage fl-.lwith an opening Sil in alinement with said bend, (see Fig. 0,) whereby by introducing the pointed end ofa cigar within said bend and opening the machine is caused to serve as a cigar-cutter as well as a nenvelopcutter.

The paper shavings removed from the end of the envelop by the cutters drop upon a bottom piece -tO of the frame, which bottom piece is pivotally connected at one of its corners by a screw ll to the under side of crosspiece 3,said cross-piece being slightly recessed to receive the same, whereby'said bottom piece is adapted to be swung outwardly to permit the shavings to be emptied into a waste-basket or other receptacle whenever a sufficient quantity thereof has accumulated to render such action necessary. l. thus avoid littering up the desk or table with such shavings.

In the use of the machine thus constructed the gage Si is set in such position relative to the cutting edge of knife 22 as to limit the depth of cut to a mere shaving7 and knife l5 is adjusted by means of the screws 2l to a position in which its cutting edge occupies the proper relation to the plane of movement of the edge of knife 22 to secure a clean shear eut. The envelop is then placed upon the table S, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. l, and moved rearwardly until its end abuts against the face of; gage 3l, and the disengaged hand is utilized to force the handle 2f) downwardly until the buffer 3l strikes the table S, thereby causing the knives to remove a thin shaving from the end of the envelop without danger of injury to the contents thereof. is soon as the handle is released the spring 13 returns it to its normal posit-ion, where it is ready for another blow. In this manner the operation of opening envelops can be performed very rapidly and easily.

The conical bearings for the two knifebars, with their means for compensating for wear, insure a strict parallelism of the cutting edges of the knives at all times, and the means described for securing lateral adjustment ofthe stationary knife enables said eutting edges to be maintained in their proper relation to each other regardless ot' wear thereof.

By giving to the machine herein described the combined functions of an envelop-cutter and a cigar-cutter I render it an exceedingly useful and convenient adjunct to the ordinary office equipment,

Having thus fully described my invention7 what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-m l.. In an envelop-opener, the combination with a suitable frame, of the stationary knife IOO IIO

15 adjustably mounted upon said frame, knife-bar 25 pivotally'mounted upon said frame and carrying the knife 22, said knife- `bar being provided with the operating-handle 29 to theunder side of which is secured the elastic buffer 31, the closely-coiled spring 13 for retracting said knife-bar, and table 8 mounted upon said frame in front of said knives, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the frame provided With the end pieces 1 1 and cross-bars 5 6, of the knife-bar 17 supported at its ends by the conicalpointed screws 19 'passing through said end pieces and carrying the knife 15, adj usting-screws 21 passing through said cross-bars 5 6 and bearing against opposite sides of said knife-bar, and knife-bar 25 supported at its ends by the conical-pointed screws 27 and having knife 22 mounted thereon at an angle to its axis of movement, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the frame having v mounted thereon the stationary cutter 15 and 

